CMS Opens Nominations for Technical Expert Panels

WASHINGTON, D.C.—CMS is soliciting nominations for technical expert panels (TEP) for its measure development and maintenance contractors. The project’s overall objective is to develop episode-based cost measures suitable for potential use in the Quality Payment Program.

Individuals with expertise in the relevant fields, including clinicians, statisticians, quality improvement, methodologists and pertinent measure developers, as well as consumers, are encouraged to submit nominations. Person and family membership on TEPs is a very important part of the measure development process.

TEP members are chosen to provide input to the measure contractor based on their personal experience and training. It is critical to the success that TEP members represent a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds.

The nomination period for MACRA episode-based cost measures clinical subcommittees closes March 20, 2018. To be considered for the first in-person meeting, all nomination materials must be submitted before the closing date, but nominations will still be accepted, according to CMS, on a continual basis after this date: Nominees who submit their information after the deadline will enter a standing pool of nominees who may be selected for participation in condition- or procedure-specific workgroups convened within each subcommittee.